VISAKHAPATNAM: The YSRC, which suffered a jolt with the resignation of Panchakarla Ramesh Babu to the party, has begun the exercise to appoint a new city unit president in place of him. The race for the YSRC city president post has begun with several aspirants lobbying for it. It is learnt two probable candidates have been selected for the post.
One of the names will be finalised after getting consent from Chief Minister and YSRC chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. After the defeat of the party candidate in the North Andhra Graduates Constituency MLC election, the YSRC has intensified its outreach programmes to strengthen the party at the grassroots for the ensuing elections.
However, the sudden resignation of Panchakarla to the post and the party has surprised the YSRC leadership. The YSRC city unit is headed by four presidents in the last four years.
In the combined Visakhapatnam district, the YSRC got the Lok Sabha constituency president. They included Malla Vijaya Prasad and Vamsi Krishna Srinivas. Vijaya Prasad was replaced by Vamsi before the 2019 elections.
However, after Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao was dropped from the State Cabinet during a reshuffle, he was appointed YSRC city president. Panchakarla succeeded him in 2022. Now, the YSRC will have a fifth president in over four years.
Meanwhile, YSRC regional coordinator YV Subba Reddy held an in-camera meeting with the party leaders and GVMC corporators to discuss the strategy to win the standing committee elections, which are scheduled for July 19.
The YSRC has been in a comfortable position as it has more than the required strength in the council to win the standing committee elections. The ruling YSRC and the Opposition TDP are contesting for all 10 posts of the GVMC standing committee.
“However, the YSRC does not want to take chances as any loss in the election will prove detrimental to the party in the ensuing Assembly elections. The party has already issued a whip to its corporators,” a YSRC leader said. Subba Reddy reportedly asked the YSRC leaders to hold a mock poll for corporators.